Saturday, August 9 | The Green Music Center of Sonoma State University

Committed to promoting new music in the classical realm, pianoSonoma launched its first Young Composer Program on Saturday, August 9 with a public reading at 10:00AM, using the Green Music Center’s state-of-the-art facilities. This year’s selected Young Composer was Thomas Feng, who premiered Two Pieces for Cello and Piano. pianoSonoma’s own Artists in Residence performed the work, and the event was free and open to the public.

In addition to the public read through, Thomas received a one-on-one coaching with pianoSonoma’s Composer-in-Residence Paul Frucht.

More about Thomas:

Thomas Feng (b. Pittsburgh, PA, March 3, 1994) is a student composer, pianist, and flutist. His music has already garnered multiple honors from such organizations as ASCAP, the Pacific Musical Society, the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts (YoungARTS), Project21 at Oklahoma City University, New York Art Ensemble (now Tribeca New Music), the Boston Metro Opera, and readings and performances by pianoSonoma, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Community Music School at Webster University, and Areon Flutes. Most recently, he was the winner of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra Youth for Youth Commissioning Program, and will be writing for them a new work for string orchestra.

In the coming fall, Thomas will be a junior at UCLA. He has studied with Sean Friar, Mark Carlson, David Conte, and Corbin Hines for composition, Claude Monteux and Shao Jiang Huang for flute, and Walter Ponce and Hojoon Kim for piano. Additionally, Thomas has participated in workshops, masterclasses, and additional studies with Stephen Dankner, Paul Chihara, and the faculty at the 2012 European American Musical Alliance summer program in Paris, France (including Narcis Bonet and Philip Lasser).

Composition aside, Thomas is a versatile musician, participating in various roles in the UCLA Chorale, Early Music Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Music Outreach Program, Contempo Flux (contemporary music ensemble), Philharmonia, and Act III Theater Ensemble. This summer, he is the Community Engagement Intern at the American Youth Symphony, sponsored generously by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.